Friendship Agreement and Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, Turkey

Friendship Agreement
between the
the State of Maryland, United States of America
and Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, Turkey
In order to establish and strengthen relations between their respective regions,
Mr. John P. McDonough, Secretary of State of Maryland, and Mr. Ibrahim
Karaosmanoglu, Mayor of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, (hereinafter referred to
as the "Parties"), hereby join with each other in reaching the following understanding.
With the mutual prosperity and well-being of their respective citizenry as shared
objectives, the Parties will explore opportunities to cultivate a greater understanding
of each other, raise cross-cultural awareness, and generally advance the friendship
between the State of Maryland and the Province of Kocaeli.
Recognizing the importance of strong and diverse economies, the Parties will
endeavor to develop a climate which fosters interaction among entrepreneurs and
business enterprises, promotes investment, and expands commerce and fair trade.
In initiating ongoing cooperative efforts, each Party will seek to identify areas for
collaboration and, in all spheres of mutual interest, work for the benefit of the peoples
of both Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality and the State of Maryland.
The Parties will establish a bilateral working committee to implement this agreement
by developing annual and long-term cooperation programs; proposing specific ways
and means of collaboration; and monitoring and assessing common activities. This
committee will report to each of thj Parties' representatives who wiH meet at least
once a year wherever possible and appropriate.
This Protocol remains in effect for two years from the date of its signing. The Protocol
can be automatically extended for additional two-year periods or can be cancelled by
written notification of one of the Parties.
Should the latter occur, the Parties will
terminate current and scheduled cooperation projects upon the date of such
notification?
This agreement has Turkish and English versions, both being equally authentic.
Each copy is signed by the representatives of the two Parties on behalf of the
respective regions and kept by their respective governments.
Signed in Kocaeli, Turkey on May 16^^,2011.
r. John P. McDonough
Secretary of State
State of Maryland, U.S.A
Mr. Ibrahim Karaosmanoglu
Mayor
Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, Turkey
KOCAELI
Maryland
BiiyUKSEHlR BELEDiYESi
Amerika Blrle^ik Devletleri Maryland Eyaleti He Kocaeli Buyiik^ehir
Belediyesi, Turkiye arasmda
Dostluk Antla§masi
Tarafiar, boigeleri arasmda ili§kiler kurmak ve bu ili§kileri guglendirmek amaciyla,
Mr. John P. McDonough, Maryland Eyalet Sekreteri, ve Mr. Ibrahim Karaosmanoglu,
Kocaeli BuyDk§ehir Betediye Ba§kani (metinde "Tarafiar" olarak antlacaktir),
a§agidaki hususlar uzerinde uzla§maya varmi§lardir:
Bolge halklannin birlikte refah ve esenlige ula§mas! ortak amaci temelinde Tarafiar,
birbirlerini tanima, kulturler arasi farkmdalik yaratma ve Maryland Eyaleti ile Kocaeli
Buyuksehir Belediyesi arasindaki dostlugu iierletme yolunda olanaklar ararlar.
Guglu ve ge^itli ekonomik olanaklarin onemini goz onunde bulundurarak, Tarafiar,
giri§imciler ve ticari kurulu§lar arasindaki etkile§imi besleyen, yatirim yapmayi
ozendiren ve e§it ticari olanaklanni geni^leten bir ortamin olu§turulnnasina katkida
bulunurlar.
I$birligine dayali surekli gabalari kapsaminda Tarafiar, birlikte gali^ma olanagi
bulunan alanlari belirlerler ve kar§ilikli gikar temelinde Kocaeli Buyuk§ehir Belediyesi
Ile Maryland Eyaleti halklannin yaranna gali§irlar.
Bu antla?manin hayata gegirilmesi amaciyla Tarafiar, yillik ve uzun erimli i§birligi
programlari olu§turacak, birlikte gali^maya yonelik ozel yontemler geli§tirecek ve
ortak etkinlikleri denetleyip degerlendirecek ikili gah^ma kurullari kurarlar. Kurul,
uygun bir yerde yilda en az bir kez toplanir ve Tarafiar birbirlerine gali§malara ili§kin
raporlar sunarlar.
I$bu Protokol imzalandigi tarihten itibaren iki yil igin gegerlidir. SQre bitiminde
kendiliginden iki yil uzatilmi§ sayilir. Taraflardan birinin yazili bildirimi uzerine
yururlukten kaldirilabilir. Yururlukten kaldinldiginda, Tarafiar, uygufanan ve
uygulanmasi planlanan i§birligi projelerini yazili bildirim tarihinden itibaren
sonlandirirlar.
I§bu Antla§ma Turkpe ve Ingilizce olarak hazirlanmi§tir. Her Iki nusha Szgun yapida
olup ilgiii yer adina Taraflarin temsilcileri tarafindan imzalanmi§ ve ilgili yonetimlere
saklanmasi i?in tevdi edilmi§tir.
16 Mayis 2011 tarihinde Kocaeli, Turkiye'de imzalanmi§tir
John P. McDonough
Eyalet Sekreteri
Maryland Eyaleti, A.B.D.
Mr. Ibrahim Karaosmanoglu
Balkan
Kocaeli Buyuk§ehir Belediye Ba§kani